The present invention relates to the field of vehicle brake lights. More particularly, the present invention relates to the field of vehicle brake lights that indicate how severely the vehicle is braking.
Automobile and motorcycle accidents are unfortunate common occurrences on today""s roads. Many of these accidents involve rear-end collisions between two cars. A primary reason for rear-end collisions is that drivers usually follow too close to the lead vehicle, not thinking about the possibility that the lead vehicle will brake severely. Therefore, when such an event does occur, trailing drivers are often taken by surprise. Furthermore, since conventional brake lights only signal when brakes are applied, trailing drivers must discern for themselves when and to what degree severe braking occurs. Therefore, by the time the trailing driver determines the rapid rate of closing between his vehicle and the lead vehicle, it may be too late to avoid a collision.
Presently, when a driver brakes severely (i.e. at a rate of 0.7 G or greater, wherein 1 G equals 1 gravity or a rate of 32.2 ft/sec/sec) the trailing driver is not immediately alerted to this valuable information. Instead, the trailing driver must first notice that the lead vehicle is braking then determine how quickly he is approaching the lead vehicle. Then, the trailing driver must determine when to apply braking and to what degree in order to maintain a safe distance. If the trailing driver does not respond to the situation quickly and appropriately, a collision will likely result. The usual sequence of events that a trailing driver in such a situation experiences is:
1. An initial delay, if the driver is not attentive to the vehicle ahead;
2. Determining the rate of approach to the vehicle ahead;
3. Determining when to brake;
4. Determining how hard to brake; and
5. Executing the braking maneuver.
This illustrates two key points. The first is that it takes precious time to process through these steps, even if the processing is done unconsciously. The second is that steps 2, 3, and 4 are subject to errors in discernment and judgment. These delays and errors contribute to the possibility of a rear end collision. If there were fewer steps to process through, it would be easier for a driver to appropriately react to such a situation.
Further compounding the problem is a reduction in a person""s ability to discern and appropriately react to an emergency as the person becomes older. Therefore, as the average age of drivers increases, severe braking becomes a greater hazard.
Presently, vehicles are equipped with standard rear lights which include the following:
1. A Rear Center Safety Lightxe2x80x94On the rear of all post-1986 vehicles is a single filament bulb behind a red lens which illuminates only when the brakes are applied.
2. Red Night Tail Lights and Brake Lightsxe2x80x94On each rear side of vehicles is a tail night light and a brake light, both of which function with the same two filament bulb. One filament illuminates to become the night light and the other filament illuminates when the brakes are applied. The bulbs are behind red lenses. On some vehicles, instead of using two filament bulbs, separate bulbs are used.
3. Amber Turn Signal Lightsxe2x80x94On each rear side of vehicles is a single filament bulb which flashes when the corresponding turn signal is activated. The bulbs are behind amber lenses.
4. Amber Emergency (xe2x80x9cHazardxe2x80x9d) Lightsxe2x80x94When the emergency switch is activated both turn signal lights flash simultaneously behind amber lenses. On some vehicles, the brake lights or red tail lights flash when the emergency switch is activated.
5. White Reverse Gear Lightxe2x80x94On each rear side of the vehicle is a single filament bulb behind a clear or opaque lens. The bulb is illuminated when the vehicle is placed in reverse.
Unfortunately, none of these lights, nor their operation, inform a trailing driver that a lead driver is braking severely and to what degree. Those determinations must still be made empirically by the trailing drivers. What is needed is a system that will alert trailing drivers to the fact that the lead vehicle is braking severely. What is further needed is a system that will alert trailing drivers to the degree of braking by the lead vehicle.
The present invention provides an alert system coupled to a vehicle for notifying trailing drivers that the vehicle may have experienced an unsafe occurrence. The alert system comprises an alert sensor for detecting the physical conditions associated with the unsafe occurrence and a signaling device coupled to and activated by the sensor for automatically signaling trailing drivers when the vehicle has experienced an unsafe occurrence.
In one particularly preferred embodiment, the alert system employs a deceleration sensor for detecting physical conditions associated with rapid deceleration of the vehicle. In another embodiment, the alert system can be used to alert trailing drivers that the lead driver is rapidly decelerating.
In another embodiment, the alert system can be used as an anti-theft system, even in situations involving carjacking.